Strategic Plan

The Council of the Town of Fort Frances issued a Request for Proposals on April 13, 2023 to secure a consultant to work with Council and senior administration to develop a comprehensive strategic plan to provide guidance to Council throughout their term. The Town retained KPMG to facilitate the strategic planning process and develop a final plan which was presented to Council on October 23, 2023 and finally adopted by Council on November 14, 2023.

The adopted Strategic Plan can be found here: Town of Fort Frances Strategic Plan 2023 - 2027 (PDF).

FORMULATING THE PLAN

In the preparation of this plan KPMG reached out directly to a number of local stakeholders as well as publishing a public survey which saw over 800 responses.

The information collected through the various initial engagements formulated the basis for a two day strategic planning session held with all of Council and senior administration on September 6th and 7th, 2023. In concert with this session, a public open house was held as well to further engage and solicit public contributions to the strategic plan for the Town. Lastly a student engagement survey was developed and administered at the Fort Frances High School in concert with current Civics classes being offered at that time.

A great deal of excellent feedback and ideas were shared during the public engagement portion of the project and Council is appreciative of all who participated in any of the opportunities to provide input.

PURPOSE OF THE PLAN

Strategic Planning is essential to the success of any organization. This planning exercise was intended to develop a strategic plan that accomplishes the following:

Provide Clarity – Having a strategic plan in place assures focused, proactive decision making. This plan will guide decisions by both Council and management going forward.
Ensure Coordination – By defining objectives, it assures that everyone is working towards the same goals.
Improve Efficiency – Daily decision making is guided by the Strategic Plan.
Assist with adjustment to change – A strategic plan with a clear vision, and clear objectives helps to support change management.
Direct capacity building – When the organization knows where it intends to go, it is much easier to direct capacity building and talent management. It allows the organization to better align the competencies of its workforce with the strategic direction of the organization.
Ensure greater transparency and accountability. A strategic plan provides a roadmap for decision making. A wide variety of stakeholders and the general public will have had an opportunity to participate in the development of the plan. Once completed, the plan is made public, and will be available on the Town’s website.

PURPOSE AND VISION

Purpose:

Through partnerships we provide a safe, inclusive, sustainable and welcoming community that enhances quality of life and promotes growth and prosperity for all.

Vision:

The Town will be a leader in growing a thriving community with boundless opportunities.

CORE VALUES

The Town of Fort Frances embraces the following core values in their work:

Service Excellence

Our leadership and our staff understand that the purpose and top priority of the Town of Fort Frances is to serve the needs of our community. We will work to create an environment that brings out the best in each person, that encourages individual and team growth, and understands our role as stewards of public resources. Work by employees is to be done with respect, giving room for individuals to grow and apply their strengths in an environment that provides physical and psychological safety.

Engagement, Communication and Transparency

We will work, in an open and transparent way, to understand the needs and challenges of the community. The Town will listen to and engage the community on challenges and opportunities that impact Fort Frances. We will regularly communicate Town decisions and policies to the public.

Safety, Inclusivity and Prosperity

We understand that a healthy and prosperous community requires that all segments of society do well and are able to participate – this may include but is not limited to families, individuals, Indigenous and cultural groups, and businesses. We will work to support the success of each of these to the extent we are able.

Fiscal Responsibility and Sustainability

We will operate within our means, making decisions that support ongoing sustainability of services and infrastructure over the long-term. These decisions should lead to improved efficiencies and maintain consistent levels of service.